Match Thread ** Celtic v Rangers - 30th Dec 12:00 K.O - Sky Sports **

Proverbial game of 2 halves. Could have been dead and buried in the first 45. Could have won it in the 2nd.

It's clear that some players aren't up to the task. Kranjcar wasnt good enough today. He improved in the 2nd half but for much of the game he was a passenger. I don't think Holt is good enough either. Then there's Morelos - he scores goals against weaker opposition but he had some golden chances today that he couldn't finish. I also don't think Windass contributed enough that was threatening.

Contrast that with those who did step up. Wilson had a solid game and Bates was a stand out when he came on. McCrorie didnt look out of place in midfield in an OF game and both wing-backs were solid. Candeias had a good game and looked dangerous. Did his share of work too.

The big problem with the current Rangers squad is a lack of game changers. It's one thing having some players who graft and who look like they are capable of being in a Rangers team. It's another to have players who can give you that bit of magic. Rangers simply don't have a game changer in the squad right now.

There's the basis of a decent squad at Ibrox and it wouldn't take a lot to improve, but the big thing thats lacking is one or two game changers who can do something special. Those players cost the kind of money the club don't have right now.
 
That second half was something else, massive credit to the team and to the manager for turning it around. We should have won that.
 
If stories of bringing Murphy in are true, that frees windass to play in Nikos position - I think that’s a decent line up, playing with Morelos
 
delighted with that result today and some of the performances

we rode our luck at times and still some absolutely awful defending but we were very unlucky not to score ourselves
 
Just finished watching it after steering clear of the score all day.

A couple dodgy moments in the first half, but 2nd we were very dominant.

We were the better team overall and should have beaten them in their own pigsty, inflicting a 2nd defeat in their last 5 games. Poor finishing cost us in the end.

However, that mob are nowhere near the level they like to think they are - we just need to put pressure on the hideous b@stards and I'm confident they'll crack.

Tav was superb, Candeias absolutely fantastic workrate. McCrorie didnt look out of place and Wilson very solid. Couldnt have been easy for Bates to come into it, but he did very well.

Windass is gutless though, he's not a Ranger.
 
We should have won but proud of that team today showed fighting qualities and some amount of skill. A Ulstermen No2 who knows what is all about upwards and onwards WATP
 
Cooper_11 said:
I’m not a Niko fan, I never have been since he joined RFC. I just hope today’s the day that he uses that unquestionable football brain to open up that mhanky defence and help us to a memorable victory. Come On Rangers !!
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Unfortunately, he was the Miko I thought he would be when I posted the above at 2.22 today. His legs have completely gone, and he is unable to play at this level. He needs a one-way taxi away from Rangers FC.
 
Decent result given how we've been up and down these past two months. First half we were poor and could hardly string a couple of passes together. The best opportunity for us came early and Morelos should have buried it, but then again, the mentally challenged's golden boy Sinclair missed two absolute sitters.
Second half and suddenly we play like a team and dominate. Tavernier and Morelos twice with headers should have seen us deserve all 3 points.
Tavernier and Morelos outstanding. Bates, Wilson & John close behind. Even Candeias put in a shift. Sadly, Niko's legs can't stand the pace. So Murty has to work out how to get that performance every week.
 
Proud of the team today, great effort. Far better team second half but we were vulnerable first half. Could’ve been 2 down.

Alves is a coward
 
So proud of those boys today. Tav, McCrorie, Bates and Wilson especially. John too. Not the greatest team but they were massive underdogs and fought for the jersey and for the fans. Can’t ask more of the team. Murty could’ve made his Niko/Pena change sooner and we might’ve had a win with the extra energy. Over to the board now to get the players in to build on the display for the second half of the season.
 
TimzRFudz said:
Fucking hell mate, I've had people putting words in my mouth before, but that takes it to a new level.

What I'm saying is that we do not have the quality and energy in the other 9 outfield positions to accommodate a player whose best days are behind him. This is Krancjar we're talking about.

Feel free to remind me of the games he's turned for us this year, either from the bench or as a starter? The moments of magic that resulted in a goal or had the stadium on their feet.....?
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Free kick against Marseilles, the best side we'll play all season. Supreme skill. Keeper was bewildered.
 
Brant Hurley said:
Free kick against Marseilles, the best side we'll play all season. Supreme skill. Keeper was bewildered.
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Yep, superb free-kick, brought me to my feet too at the time, granted. Anything in any games that actually counted for anything this season? Or are you also in the camp we should just have him there strolling about the pitch on the off-chance we win a free kick? And to go back to one of the comments the poster I was originally debating this with made - at no point did I say he was lazy either. He did the best he could today, but it was clear it was like running through treacle for him. I actually felt sorry for him at times.

I like the guy, he plays the game with a smile on his face and he has tried to entertain during his career. He simply doesn't have the legs for playing now. I can't understand why anyone would seriously argue differently after watching him today. I stand by my comment that this should be his final appearance today and reiterate that if he'd scored a screamer to win the game for us I'd still have been saying the same.
 
Great to see us have the balls to press them high as other teams have shown it does work against them.

Everyone of our team was at least a 7/10 apart from Niko. We basically got a draw at parkhead with 10 men.
 
TimzRFudz said:
Yep, superb free-kick, brought me to my feet too at the time, granted. Anything in any games that actually counted for anything this season? Or are you also in the camp we should just have him there strolling about the pitch on the off-chance we win a free kick? And to go back to one of the comments the poster I was originally debating this with made - at no point did I say he was lazy either. He did the best he could today, but it was clear it was like running through treacle for him. I actually felt sorry for him at times.

I like the guy, he plays the game with a smile on his face and he has tried to entertain during his career. He simply doesn't have the legs for playing now. I can't understand why anyone would seriously argue differently after watching him today. I stand by my comment that this should be his final appearance today and reiterate that if he'd scored a screamer to win the game for us I'd still have been saying the same.
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Today is the most rigorous test in our league campaign. Niko isn't a kid Murty has reared & can be accused of favouring. Pena or Barjonas were obvious alternatives. Even Hardy. But Murty picked Niko, possibly based on the training ground, leadership or his experience/nous. It worked. There may be other niche opportunities for him this season in a team that often lacks creativity.
 
thetoptier said:
delighted with that result today and some of the performances

we rode our luck at times and still some absolutely awful defending but we were very unlucky not to score ourselves
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We have went to the Piggery with some of our best teams and rode our luck. That' why we love this game. This team may not be great but credit where credit is due
 
Brant Hurley said:
Today is the most rigorous test in our league campaign. Niko isn't a kid Murty has reared & can be accused of favouring. Pena or Barjonas were obvious alternatives. Even Hardy. But Murty picked Niko, possibly based on the training ground, leadership or his experience/nous. It worked. There may be other niche opportunities for him this season in a team that often lacks creativity.
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Which suggests you feel he contributed today. Like I said, I could see he was trying... but tangible contributions? Drawing a couple of free kicks and one decent 40 yard cross field ball?

Maybe we look for different things from our midfielders in one of the biggest games of the season.

Again, I'll reiterate - this is not personal about Niko. However the vast majority of people here and elsewhere seem doubtful that he contributed much today or that he should have a place going forward.

(If by niche you mean when we're 3-0 up against someone with 10 minutes to go then fair enough..... but not in a battle like we had today. Even then, I'd suggest that was more of a perfect opportunity to give gametime to youngsters).
 
Match pic of Bates today

DSPzCgpWAAAbmwg.jpg:large
 
TimzRFudz said:
Which suggests you feel he contributed today. Like I said, I could see he was trying... but tangible contributions? Drawing a couple of free kicks and one decent 40 yard cross field ball?

Maybe we look for different things from our midfielders in one of the biggest games of the season.

Again, I'll reiterate - this is not personal about Niko. However the vast majority of people here and elsewhere seem doubtful that he contributed much today or that he should have a place going forward.

(If by niche you mean when we're 3-0 up against someone with 10 minutes to go then fair enough..... but not in a battle like we had today. Even then, I'd suggest that was more of a perfect opportunity to give gametime to youngsters).
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In terms of contribution, I thought he more than matched Windass today.
The 'different thing' manifest recently is surprising aggression - although hardly KT-esque!
Posters on the match thread did slaughter Niko It's a football forum. On the internet. ;)
I differ with your view that he's nothing to offer us. Doesn't mean I don't respect your opinion.:)
 
Brant Hurley said:
In terms of contribution, I thought he more than matched Windass today.
The 'different thing' manifest recently is surprising aggression - although hardly KT-esque!
Posters on the match thread did slaughter Niko It's a football forum. On the internet. ;)
I differ with your view that he's nothing to offer us. Doesn't mean I don't respect your opinion.:)
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Windass is always hampered when he's asked to play out wide. I think he linked up with John well in the second half and kept Lustig occupied. He's definitely less effective out there though. However - out of possession he has the pace to get back and cover and get in the way. Sadly Niko doesn't really seem to have that any more. I can understand that Murty maybe thought he could play in that hole to perhaps open them up with some good passes, but it just didn't happen.

There's been nothing disrespectful on either front mate. We just need to agree to disagree re his potential for still being able to contribute I'm afraid.
 
iaatpies said:
There's the basis of a decent squad at Ibrox and it wouldn't take a lot to improve, but the big thing thats lacking is one or two game changers who can do something special. Those players cost the kind of money the club don't have right now.
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As good a summation as to where we are right now (cause for optimism but still require a bit of patience on the financial front).
 
We played well. If Morelos finished we'd have won.


Tav was crap 1st half,great second.
Please show this commitment each game
 
isawthat said:
Brenda interviewed on Clyde after the game said there was no quality on the field.

He has obviously stepped on some toes. He has asked to be allowed back on to say he is proud of the way his team performed.

Old Spew less than happy at their lack of investment in their "world wide brand"

Great stuff, they are hurting.
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I think the scum ha
 
iaatpies said:
Proverbial game of 2 halves. Could have been dead and buried in the first 45. Could have won it in the 2nd.

It's clear that some players aren't up to the task. Kranjcar wasnt good enough today. He improved in the 2nd half but for much of the game he was a passenger. I don't think Holt is good enough either. Then there's Morelos - he scores goals against weaker opposition but he had some golden chances today that he couldn't finish. I also don't think Windass contributed enough that was threatening.

Contrast that with those who did step up. Wilson had a solid game and Bates was a stand out when he came on. McCrorie didnt look out of place in midfield in an OF game and both wing-backs were solid. Candeias had a good game and looked dangerous. Did his share of work too.

The big problem with the current Rangers squad is a lack of game changers. It's one thing having some players who graft and who look like they are capable of being in a Rangers team. It's another to have players who can give you that bit of magic. Rangers simply don't have a game changer in the squad right now.

There's the basis of a decent squad at Ibrox and it wouldn't take a lot to improve, but the big thing thats lacking is one or two game changers who can do something special. Those players cost the kind of money the club don't have right now.
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A very good summary of the game and our squad right now. The only thing I would add is that I think Dorrans can be a game changer when he returns.
 
Very good performance considering we were playing with ten men most of the game, as Krancjar was a man down. We had them on the ropes the complete second half and there was nothing they could do about it. I wouldn't blame Morelos because their goalie pulled off two great saves. 2nd place is a distinct possibility, with the aim of reducing the gap between them and us. Good days to be a bear again, as the Mhankies look like they are in decline to me.
 
Pleasantly surprised by that today. We were well drilled for a change and for the most part defended well. We pressed them second half and forced them into mistakes. On the whole it was probably just about a fair result given Thunderbird and Sinclair missed two good chances first half. Morelos unlucky with the first header but should have buried the second one.

Some good performances all round but my MOTM - James Tavernier.
 
Thought we started great in the first half then rode our luck a bit. Totally dominated the 2nd half though and deserved the win. It just shows that when you get in their face and apply pressure they're no world beaters.

Next game I'd love to have someone on instead of Niko whose sole purpose is to follow Brown and stop him from getting on the ball. He drops so deep and starts a lot of their play.

Tav was MOTM for me. Outstanding and he was bullying them in that 2nd half.
 
In true FF style...

if you add Dorrans, Jack, Murphy, Wallace etc. to the starting 11 then maybe, just maybe, we’re not as far off as we all thought we were.

True bi-polar FF style of course
 
chrisgers said:
You're fishing aren't you.

Murty has played the bheggars twice with a set of players who've shown no heart for the fixture, and twice we've come out thinking we've been unlucky only to draw the games.

With a decimated squad he's gone there when most of this forum were just looking to keep it respectable and we've bossed long spells of that game.

Alves has already done one - achilles by the look of it.
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No, we did very well today and had Kranjcar been hooked sooner, or not have played at all, I think our performance would have went up a level again. We could have and should have won yesterday. With someone in place of Kranjcar I am utterly sure we would have too.
 
I think they could have had two in the first half and so could we , the second half we bossed them and should have won it, the tramps got away with a draw and they know it Brenda knows it he wants a clear out and spend big as we are up for them.
 
Rangers were brilliant yesterday we ber 2 world class saves we would of won that game hopefully this is the turning point.
 
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